A veterinary science degree takes around five or six years of study, depending on the university. Australia has seven universities offering undergraduate veterinary science courses. These include:

• Charles Sturt University

• James Cook University

• Murdoch University

• University of Adelaide

• University of Melbourne

• University of Queensland

• University of Sydney

Other universities also offer veterinary courses, but attending one of these may require more time or further studies to obtain your degree.

If you’re a high school student with an interest in becoming a vet, it’s a good idea to contact the university you’d like to attend to get more information on course requirements and the marks you will need. For mature students who are thinking of changing careers, bear in mind that there may be limited places available so contact the university to find out about any entrance opportunities.

A veterinary science course can be demanding, but if you’re highly motivated, have an interest in science and care about the health and welfare of animals, it may be the course for you.

Once you graduate, you will need to register with the veterinary registration board in any state you will practice in. Registration with the board is your licence to practice veterinary medicine in that state.

You will learn about all species of animals and in later years be given the opportunity to gain clinical experience. Each university is different however, and veterinary courses are wide-ranging so it’s important that you speak to the university and get all the information first.

Veterinary science is one of the most expensive courses of study in Australia, while veterinarians earn comparably low salaries. A vet who has just graduated will earn around $45,000 per year. A Veterinarian earns an average salary of AU$64,649 per year. If they have more than experience, their salay is up to AU$96,576 per year.